Multiple Modernities: A Case Study of Indian and Hindu Modernity

Abstract

In the article, the idea of multiple modernities is critically evaluated from the perspective of various civilizations. Concerning “traditional theories of modernization,” the argument for “multiple modernities” contradicts the supposition of the convergence of industrial civilizations. It refers to the distinguishing expressions of progressive global modernity rather than merely to multiple societal structures. The main two premises are based on modernity, a multipolar notion that no longer depends on “Westernization,” and that not all nations are uniformly modern because each civilization's cultural and historical settings impact how “modernity” is understood substantially. To follow through, the case study of Indian and Hindu Modernity confronts the pre-existing notion of modernity. At the same time, it draws a historical linkage from the ideas of Gandhi and his critique of the European concept of modernity to the current era, where modernity in India is viewed through the lens of the amalgamation of state and religion. The paper's first section highlights how multiple modernities challenge the assimilated idea of 'Eurocentrism' and the non-linearity of those convergence theories. The second section presents the theoretical perspective and literature on the contributions and challenges of multiple modernities, following which the third section scrutinizes the concept of alternatives to multiple modernities. In conclusion, it sums up the viewpoints of different ethnicities, asserting that there are many ways to be modern and acknowledging that not all modernities are necessarily secular.